Assessment of heavy metal contamination status in sediments and identification of pollution source in Ichkeul Lake and rivers ecosystem, northern Tunisia

The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of Pb, Zn, Cu, Cd, Cr, and Fe in sediments of the Ichkeul Lake and rivers ecosystem in northern Tunisia; their comparison with international sediment quality criteria was also proposed to assess the extent of metal pollution and their origin using various pollution indicators. For this purpose, sediment samples were collected in thirteen locations and characterized for metal content (Pb, Cr, Zn, Cu, Cd, and Fe) using the total digestion technique. Pollution level was assessed via the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (C), potential ecological risk (PER), and pollution load index (PLI). Our results showed that all metals were lower than the threshold effect levels (TEL), the effect range low (ERL), the probable effect level (PEL), the effect range median (ERM), and the probable effect concentration (PEC) value, except Pb and Cr (higher than TEL), the threshold effect concentration (TEC), and the toxicity reference value (TRV). The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) indicated no pollution for Cr, Cu, Zn, and Fe, but moderate pollution for Pb. The enrichment factor showed no enrichment for most of the studied metals. This was further confirmed by the contamination factor that indicated low contamination levels, with the exception of Pb. The pollution load index (PLI) showed moderate pollution status in all the studied stations in the Ichkeul Lake and rivers ecosystem. The statistical results presented similar trends of Zn and Pb probably due to their similar pollution sources. It was found that the Ichkeul Lake and river ecosystems are characterized by moderate pollution status in all the studied sites except for that of a feeder river drained from an old lead mine which had relatively high metallic concentrations of Pb and Cd. It can be argued that effective remediation strategies and environmental management plans are required to control and reduce the input of environmentally hazardous toxic pollutants (Cd and Pb). This study may serve as a useful reference tool pertinent to approaches to the remediation of the old lead mine area surrounding the Ichkeul Lake as well as other areas under similar ecological conditions..